Bull Mastiff Mauls Toddler in “One of the Worst Dog Attacks Seen”

A 3-year-old boy is still hospitalized following one of the worst domestic dog attacks seen in Ipswich, according to theQueensland Times. Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia, about 24 miles west of Brisbane.

The toddler and his older sister were playing with the family’s Bull Mastiff mix at their Redbank Plains home when, without warning, the dog latched its mouth onto the child’s head and neck and would not let go, according to the report. A Bull Mastiff mix can weigh from 100 to 140 pounds.

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The dog had been part of the family for about eight years and is currently registered with the local Council and records showed no history of aggressive behavior, theQueensland Timesreports.

The attack was shocking to the community and Andrew Antoniolli, Chairman of the Ipswich City Council’s Health and Regulation Committee, stated that “the child sustained horrific injuries."

"As far as we understand the boy's mother heard screams out in the yard and found the child had been pinned by the dog underneath a table.She had to pull the dog away," Antoniolli added.

The incident occurred about 3.45 pm on Sunday, October 7. Paramedics were called to the Maller Crescent home and immediately rushed the child to the Mater Hospital, where the little boy underwent surgery on Sunday evening for severe facial injuries.

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The Bull Mastiff has been seized and an investigation of the incident is being conducted. No decision had been made at the time of the report as to whether the dog would be put down.

Antoniolli said the majority of recent dog attacks in Ipswich had involved child victims and had occurred within residential backyards.

"I would just like to emphasize to dog owners that they should always be vigilant, even when children are playing around with their own family pets," he said.